The Irish standard., 1887-10-15

rather sad and gloomy generally?'
well, no. miss. I always see him
pleasant and cheerful
Miss Evans would rather haye heard
that he was sad and gloomy.
I wouldn't suy but he's after coming
home Mrs. Hazlitt remarked. There
is his greyhounds at the door,
Miss Evans started slightly; but
seemed not to have heard these re-
marks. she walked over to where the
greyhounds lay 10 the sun, and patted
Gazelle's head with her gloved hand.
Gazelle thrust her paw into Miss
Evans nnufff, and Miss Evans playfnlly
pushed the muff over GaZelie's slender
head. The hound, feeling uneasy in this
downy collar, ran into the house. and
the lady ran laughing after her. She
raised her eyes and appeared quite be-
wildered with surprise, when the mutf
was presented to her by Brian Purcell.
L beg your pardon, said she, stoop-
inc her head and covering her face with
her hands, Mrs. Hazlitt told me you
We're from home
4 have My returned here this morn
ing,' said Bran.
She remained standing so long with
her hands over her face, that Brian be-
gan to feel at q loss how to act. She
rested her hand Oh the back Of the
chair as if she required support,
sit down, Miss Evans.
She sat down, resting one arm on the
table, and dropping the other gracefully
over Gazelle7s neck. We must not omit
that in dropping the arm over the dog S
neck, she accidentally of course) gave
thc skirt Of her dress a slight pull, the
effect of which was to reveal an instep,
the symmetry of which is seldom seen
except in marble.
Brian Purcell was an admirer Of the
beautiful il art and nature, and he
mentally acknowledged that SO perfect
q type of wouanly beauty as that before
him he had never seen.
Brian she murmered, what harm
would it do you to be commonly civil to
me?'
Surely have meyer been uncivilT
you know what [ mean
No, Miss Evans, / do not know what
you mean
You are so unforgiving.
'On the contrary he replied, l. never
felt any resentment toward you.'
That is worse said she, 'for have /
not treated you badly?'
well. it's all over now
Yes; tits all over with you. But
with nle'-sl1e uttered these words in a
tone that thrilled through and through
him. He looked into her face, aud
could he trust his senses? Yes, there
could be no mistake about it: tears
were falling from Jane Evans eyes,
and these tears were for him.
Brian Purcell was only 81 man. IIe
took her hand in his, and was in the
act Of raising it to bis lips, when she
snatched it from him with start. and
pushed back the. chair from the win
dow. He followed the direction Of her
eyes, and saw Captain Dawson coming
toward the house.
Brian Purcell drew a long breath.
Jane Evans looked at him in half
frightened way. She saw by his cold
smile that he understood her. Tt was
not the mere breach Of etiquette--much
less any fear her character might suf-
fer--that made her start. Il was not
even that she cared what Captain
Dawson might think. In fact Miss
Evans was net superior to the dread of
losing caste, which SO clings to people
who find themselves perched on a round
of the social ladder which had been
above their heads at one time. She saw
that Brian read her thoughts.
I'LL bring Captain Dawson round to
the garden, said he, 'and you can easily
rejoin Mrs. Hazlitt, whom see waiting
for you, without being SEEM
He went out and entered into CONVEX
sation with Captain Dawson.
Miss Evans clenched her hand, as
was her wont when yexed with herself,
or any one else.
Now what was this young lady driv-
ing at? Did she love Brian Purcell?
She would not have answered the ques-
tion, even to her own heart. If she did
not love him, she certainly loved no
body else. She wished to leaYe the
question All open one. Time enough to
decide upon it when he should be at
her feet again. And now she saw him
escape from her at the moment when
her victory was certain, had it not been
for her own owardice-meaDne5s she
called it, as she clenched her hand.
She looked out at these two men. the
only two IN whom she felt the slightest
interest.
CAPTAIN Dawson was tall, broad
shouldered and we'll made, with singu-
larly regular features, and a clear, fresh
complexion But there was neither
soul nor intellect in his handsome,